Awakening
Elizabeth Villani
$12.95 P, 9781846943386, O Books, www.O-Books.com

As humanity soul-searches in the wake of the recent economic meltdown, Villani sees a great opportunity for people to awaken to the more spiritual purposes of life. She asks readers to look at the way in which our lives are arranged to numb our souls and make us live in our minds. She encourages us to risk breaking these barriers in order to look at the higher purposes of our lives and embrace joy.

The book contains an amazing amount of esoteric wisdom encapsulated in a small, very readable format. It includes manageable writing exercises to help readers evaluate both their conscious and unconscious belief systems. It will make a terrific spontaneous purchase that customers can discover and share with their friends. —Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

Inspiration Deficit Disorder: The No-Pill Prescription to End High Stress, Low Energy, and Bad Habits
Jonathan H. Ellerby
$14.95 P, 9781401927325, Hay House, www.HayHouse.com

Inspiration Deficit Disorder is a call for readers to examine their lives for lack of passion. The author intentionally cloaks a serious treatise in tongue-in-cheek terms, hoping to ease people into the subject. The book begins by teaching readers how to survey and analyze their inner landscapes, how to live inside out (with authenticity), and how to track the flow of energy through their lives. It includes discussions about facing the “terror of true change” and facing the “Wall of Wounding.” The ideas presented are explained using compelling real-life examples.

The second part of the book details ways to eliminate the things that stifle them and build things that enliven and sustain them. It is intended to help the reader create a commonsense plan for transformation, and then take action.

The author has a Ph.D. in comparative religion and is Spiritual Program Director at Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tuscon, Ariz. Experience, not theory, is the heart of the book, he says. This book will speak to many of your customers as they continue rebuilding their lives in the wake of the recent economic crisis. —Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

The Four Immeasurables: Practices to Open the Heart
B. Alan Wallace
$16.95 P, 9781559393539, Snow Lion Publications, www.SnowLionPub.com

This book is based on a one-week retreat led by the author, sought-after Buddhist teacher Alan Wallace. The teachings have to do with the complementary practices of meditative quiescence and the Four Immeasurables (loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity).

This in-depth treatment is presented clearly and directly without unnecessary trappings and will be a good choice for customers looking to begin serious study of Buddhist tradition and practice. It includes guided meditations intended to help readers open their hearts and empower their minds, as well as transcripts of question-and-answer sessions from the retreat. —Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

Housekeeping for the Soul: A Practical Guide to Restoring Your Inner Sanctuary
Sandra Carrington-Smith
$22.95 QP, 9781846942815, O-Books, www.O-Books.net

What shape is your house in? Not your physical dwelling, but your house of spirit. Does it need some housecleaning—possibly dusting the cobwebs out of the corners or maybe a coat of paint or perhaps a complete overhaul, top to bottom? Carrington-Smith is here to help. This concise volume encourages the reader to go through the rooms of the self, examining the structure and deciding what parts need work, from digging into the dusty “attic” (the recesses of our mind) and the “family room” (our relationships), to “interior decorating” (dressing up the inner world).

Carrington-Smith takes a no-nonsense approach to cleansing and clearing in order to make way for the new. She shares personal anecdotes, introduces each chapter with a quote from a famous author, and concludes each chapter with affirmations and suggestions for working with particular gods and goddesses to help the reader toward the goal of an orderly—and happy—house of the soul. —Jayne Denker, www.Dragon-Droppings.com, Caledonia, NY

Awake in Angelscape: The Scenic Route to the Sacred Self
Stacie Coller
$16.95 P, 9780981765419, LSP Digital, www.LSPDigital.com

Coller sets the stage for the landscape she intends the reader to traverse with the story of her own journey into spiritual development. She then offers the reader a road trip (taking either the direct or scenic route) through a spiritual world beyond the physical realm. The trip requires a leap of faith, ready access to one’s imagination, acceptance of spirit helpers, and a willingness to face one’s inner self.

Everything is carefully spelled out in advance, no surprises, but the reader is not bogged down by unnecessary theory. The book is lush with well-organized exercises that direct readers into their personal spiritual landscape to explore and learn. The book is systematic and designed to be fun. It will be a good choice for customers who have some experience with guided visualization and who want the opportunity to do in-depth work on their own. —Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

Don’t Read This Unless You Want More Money! Subconscious Tactics of the Truly Affluent
Dõv Baron
$21.77 P, 9781926768038, In Phase Publishing, www.BaronMastery.com

Dõv Baron has been teaching workshops for decades. He’s hoping this book will introduce him to even more people who can benefit from his ability to present complex theories and systems in straightforward, understandable terms. Drawing on long-time money/metaphysical/motivational gurus such as Stuart Wilde, Napoleon Hill, and Tony Robbins, Baron has put together a solid package of tried-and-true techniques for changing people’s relationship with money in a positive way. The book includes “fire-people-up” explanations, real-life examples, and take-action directives to put theory into practice immediately.

The strong cover accurately represents the contents of the book. This is not a book for customers who want to muse over their lack of resources in search of a better understanding of themselves. It is a book for those who want to do something now to change their lives. —Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

To Be and How to Be: Transforming Your Life through Sacred Theatre
Peggy Rubin
$16.95 QP, 9780835608534, Quest Books, www.questbooks.net

Peggy Rubin is the founding director of the Center for Sacred Theatre in Ashland, Oregon, and a principal teaching associate in Jean Houston’s Mystery Schools. “A play,” she says, “is a story enacted by living actors before a living audience, not filmed, not recorded, but alive now,” and her book encourages readers to experience life as a great play. Traditional theatre, which began as a sacred act, can be used as a metaphor for living life.

Using many examples from ancient, Shakespearian, and modern theatre, Rubin explores nine different aspects that emerge from living life as theatre: Incarnation, or recognition and acceptance of role; Story, or discovery of our own small stories in relation to that of Planet Earth; Now!, or seeing past and future as parts of the eternal present; Place, together with all its elements; Expression, or becoming fully articulate; Point of View, or looking at life through different lenses; Conflict, which creates the grandeur of the play; Audience, or understanding the effect created on both audience and ourselves; and Celebration, full participation in the miracle of being alive. Through discussion of plays and workshop experiences, as well as suggested exercises, she assists readers in their development of appropriate personal stages, the ability to listen and respond authentically, the creation of a sense of equanimity and affirmation, and an understanding of physical conditions that cause irritation as “absolute and necessary gifts of being alive.”

The book, including chapter notes, an index, and a bibliography of 38 books she says have particularly challenged, enchanted, and deepened her life, is recommended not only for readers familiar with the work of her mentor, Jean Houston, but also to anyone who has ever had the suspicion that all the world is, indeed, a stage. —Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vt.

Little Ways to Keep Calm and Carry On: Twenty Lessons for Managing Worry, Anxiety, and Fear
Mark A. Reinecke
$14.95 P, 9781572248816, New Harbinger Publications, www.NewHarbinger.com

This is a book of simple things to do about a complex and pervasive problem—anxiety. The techniques come out of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and have been proven effective by clinical studies. They are intended to increase the reader’s ability to tolerate uncertainty and learn to manage the emotions that uncertainty triggers.

Clinical terms such as habituation, self-focused attention, and systematic desensitization are explained in layman’s terms, and psychological concepts are followed up with real-world action plans intended to help the reader cultivate wisdom and perspective, then take thoughtful action. The book is full of common-sense advice based on cutting edge science and is a very reassuring and helpful read. The subtitle will be its strongest sales pitch. Follow up by letting customers know the book delivers what it promises. —Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

The Tao of Forgiveness: The Healing Power of Forgiving Others and Yourself
William Martin
$15.95 QP, 9781585427895, Jeremy P. Tarcher / Penguin, www.Penguin.com

In this fascinating, compassionate, and insightful book, the author brings the principles of the Tao Te Ching to the practice of forgiveness. Following the tradition of the Tao, each section begins with a teaching story and is followed by a discussion of how the story can be interpreted from the point of view of two mindsets: the conditioned mind (sub-personalities of the ego identity) and the Tao Mind (the pure, undisturbed consciousness). Each section also contains Questions for the Tao Mind, a Tao Mind Exercise, and a Tao Mind Meditation.

The stories are food for thought. The open-ended questions are designed to help readers see how the practice of forgiveness is working--or not working--in their lives. The exercises are intended to help readers overcome anger, shame, and guilt.

The Tao of Forgiveness can teach a lot about the Tao and about letting go. The author suggests that people read the Tao Te Ching as a companion to his book?a good display idea as well. --Nina Votolato, www.MergingHearts.org, Canton, Ohio

Mantra Meditation: Change Your Karma with the Power of Sacred Sound
Thomas Ashley-Farrand
$14.95 QP, 9781591797838, Sounds True, www.SoundsTrue.com

The word mantra has become a common part of the American vocabulary, but how many of us really understand this ancient technique for using sound to harness the power of the universe to create change? Initiated by a long list of Eastern teachers, Ashley-Farrand has been teaching these techniques for decades and now, with this book and CD, makes them accessible to a much larger audience.

In the first section of the book, he explains the foundations of mantra meditation, including an overview of Hindu gods and goddesses. The second section is devoted to 15 individual mantras with specific goals, e.g., prosperity, happy relationships, healing, and spiritual advancement. A CD is included with the book to provide proper pronunciation of the Sanskrit words.

This is a thorough and substantive product. In spite of the title, let customers know they won’t learn to chant just for enlightenment. Lots of mundane applications are included in the book, including a Feng Shui mantra. Readers also can learn to chant for a new job or the love of their life. --Anna Jedrziewski, , New York, N.Y.

If I Die Before I Wake: A Memoir of Drinking and Recovery

Golf’s Three Noble Truths: The Fine Art of Playing Awake
James L. Ragonnet
$14.95 QP, 9781577319023, New World Library, www.NewWorldLibrary.com

What do Buddha and golf have in common? Everything, according to James Ragonnet. Ragonnet, an English professor and golf coach, has studied Eastern practices extensively. He believes the key to becoming a successful golfer lies in the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths. He focuses on three aspects of that teaching: awareness, balance, and unity.

To make his case, Ragonnet talks about shifting energy from his head to his heart in order to nail a putt; he instructs golfers to improve their game by picturing themselves in a coffin; he tells readers that you can never enjoy the game of golf if you can’t laugh at yourself; and he weaves it all together with parables and humor.

This is a serious book about using metaphysical practice to improve the skills of golfing. It provides insight into the “secrets” of modern golf superstars. It is also funny, personable, and unpretentious. It will make a great gift for women seriously involved in spiritual practice to take home to their golfing soul mates. The cover downplays the spiritual aspects of the text, so you’ll want to let customers know that spiritual practice is a key component. -- Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Your Secret Self: Illuminating the Mysteries of the Twelfth House: A Guide to Using Astrology and Your Dreams for Personal Growth
Tracy Marks
$24.95 QP, 9780892541614, Ibis Press, www.NicholasHays.com

The marriage of astrology and psychology, by someone with expertise in both fields, makes this a very timely book. In the very first pages Marks tells us that the twelfth house is home to both angels and demons and that accessing either one shines a light on the other. It is a right-brain process and life-altering work.

I have had a basic working knowledge of astrology for decades, and I couldn’t turn the pages of this book fast enough. Marks has the gift of bringing clarity and down-to-earth understanding into a complex mathematical system. She suggests that those with no knowledge of astrology will find the book more useful if they have a basic natal chart done for themselves. Perhaps this is a service you could offer to those customers for a reasonable price, or even free, with the book.

Your Secret Self is perfect to pair with Chopra, Ford, and Williamson’s upcoming The Shadow Effect. It also will work well in display with any of the new books about addiction recovery, dealing with anxiety and depression, dream work, and healing past-life conflicts. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Love and Intuition: A Psychic’s Guide to Creating Lasting Love
Sherrie Dillard
$16.95 QP, 9780738715551, Llewellyn Publications, www.Llewellyn.com

Those who are ready for a deeper love connection, ready to improve their relationships past, current, and future, or ready to attract their soul mate might very well find this book helpful. Dillard’s positive communication style detangles the complexities of love and intuition. She securely leads the reader through examples and exercises designed to open up the heart, heal past wounds, and enable a deeper connection with another person. She argues that by recognizing and becoming comfortable with one’s intuitive abilities, love is able to emerge as an effortless central focus in one’s life.

Set up as a workbook, Love and Intuition is meant to act as a companion throughout one’s life. Readers can return to the book time and time again to keep working on areas that need strengthening and healing. Keeping a journal for thoughts and for doing the exercises in the book, as Dillard suggests, becomes a great way to get to know oneself and enable a deeper connection with others. Through intuition, readers can become more aware of subtleties and energy patterns that can be a great help in understanding relationship dynamics. -- Victoria Holmberg, www.VictoriaHolmberg.com, New York, N.Y.

Cosmic Energy: How to Harness the Invisible Power around You to Transform Your Life
Anne Jirsch
$16.95 QP, 9780738721255, Llewellyn Publications, www.Llewellyn.com

Anne Jirsch has written a book about tapping into the universal life-force energy that surrounds us. She has put the idea into non-occult vocabulary that will speak directly to many of the people just discovering these concepts. (“The majority of people work so hard to build a decent life, they struggle and suffer day in, day out. Yet we once knew how to attract everything we needed, just by using the power of the mind and the energy of the earth.”)

Working as an intuitive consultant for three decades has taught Jirsch both what is helpful to people and how best to teach these new techniques. She created her own system, Etheric Energy Technique, to teach people to work with universal energy. In Cosmic Energy, she covers all the major bases: relationships, abundance, work, health, and the ever-elusive life purpose. She introduces the reader to many related topics: guided meditation, auras, crystals, healing and bodywork modalities, flower remedies, astral travel, color therapy, past lives, chanting, chakras, and more.

Cosmic Energy is a safe bet for those customers who enter your store with hesitation and wander around looking lost or overwhelmed. The book is a bit like finding an old friend who can explain it all to you. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

The Game of Life and How to Play It
Florence Scovel Shinn
$10 QP, 9781585427451, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, www.Penguin.com

Florence Scovel Shinn was a Jersey girl, born there in 1871. She published the first edition of The Game of Life herself in 1925 because she couldn’t find a publisher interested in it. The Game of Life and her three follow-up books, included in this new edition, have been circulating in some form or another ever since.

I first read The Game of Life more than 30 years ago and copied many of the affirmations contained within it. (“One’s ships come in over a calm sea.”) I carried some of those affirmations around in my wallet for decades. Since then I have purchased many copies to give to friends.

Shinn was one of the founders of motivational/inspirational thinking based on the mental laws of success. The chapter headings in this book will sound very familiar to modern readers: The Law of Prosperity, The Power of the Word, The Law of Nonresistance, Impressing the Subconscious, Denials and Affirmations. Shinn developed her ideas with one-on-one “treatments” for people in need. The book still vibrates with the power of her work in the world and travels into this new century as if written yesterday. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Riches within Your Reach
Robert Collier
$12.95 QP, 9781585427673, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, www.Penguin.com

In case you missed it, one of the original mind-power classics was reprinted by Tarcher/Penguin last year. The book is comprised of four books written by prosperity visionary Robert Collier from 1937 to 1947. (Collier himself combined them into one volume in 1947.) Many of the current bestsellers about using our minds to create prosperity rely heavily on the books of authors like Collier. Both the ideas and the way they were initially presented have withstood the test of time. The bold new cover will make this reprint attractive to your customers.

The best news? This is only one in an entire series of reprints of similar classics. Now would be a good time to let customers know about them. -- Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

The Science of Getting Rich: Attracting Financial Success through Creative Thought
Wallace D. Wattles
$6.95 QP, 9781594772092, Destiny Books, www.DestinyBooks.com

Financial success didn’t come easily to Wallace Wattles. Only after years of failure, study, and trial and error did he formulate the success strategy that made him a prosperous man. He wrote The Science of Getting Rich in 1910 to share his discovery with the world. His words still ring true today and the time is certainly right to make people aware of this 100-year-old gem.

Wattles begins by giving people permission to be rich: “You can render God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself.” Wattles also makes it clear that while the system he recommends has been reduced to a very simple formula, the execution of that formula is not necessarily easy. (“To think truth regardless of appearances is laborious …”) Perhaps the most important thing that separates Wattles’ success strategy from many others is his emphasis on spiritual philosophy rather than self-interest. (“You must get rid of the thought of competition. You are to create, not to compete for what is already created.”)

There are subtle indications of the age of the text (the use of the masculine pronoun when referring to humankind in general and references to Christian texts as though they are the universal standard) but most people will be able to accept those things in context and realize the merit of Wattles’ ideas outweigh the minor indications of a less inclusive era. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

The Confident Creative: Drawing to Free the Hand and Mind
Cat Bennett
$14.95 QP, 9781844091850, Findhorn Press, www.FindhornPress.com

This book encourages readers to be creative and express themselves freely through drawing. A professional illustrator, the author’s work has appeared in many magazines and newspapers. She has developed classes and workshops to teach participants of all ages to use drawing to tap their natural creativity. Although many in her classes feel at first they can’t draw, they soon lose self-consciousness and work with joy, discovering that the practice of making marks in a non-judgmental environment brings them into oneness with the moment.

The book contains 27 short but richly illustrated chapters filled with practical advice. The first few chapters are very brief and designed to get readers started, containing simple illustrations, some by young children, and encouraging readers to start by simply making marks and trying out all sorts of materials. “We can’t fully anticipate what will emerge until it has taken form,” the author says. She gives readers a chance to “get comfortable with uncertainty,” seeing that some kind of order can always emerge out of chaos, whether in drawing or in everyday life.

The book is recommended to all who have ever scribbled, dabbled, or messed about by putting lines, circles, or squiggles on paper. The simple techniques and practices show anyone how to lose self-consciousness and become more focused and creative. -- Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vt.

This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity
Susan Moon
$14.95 QP, 9781590307762, Shambhala, www.Shambhala.com

Susan Moon is a former editor of Turning Wheel: The Journal of Socially Engaged Buddhism and a teacher of writing workshops. This Is Getting Old, a collection of 23 essays on growing old, organizes her reflections in three areas: physical and mental limitations, changes in personal relationships, and insights concerning God, nature, self, and parents.

The book has a basically reflective tone seasoned with insights, such as her observation that although she knew older people, she was never planning to get old herself. Concerning old friendships, she sees them as like old trees, with rings and rings of shared experience under the outer bark, making the friendship thicker and taller. Regarding a period of depression, she notes, “It’s a gift, in a way, to hit the bottom, though it didn’t feel like a gift at the time. If you lie on the grass, you can’t fall down.”

Many of the issues, such as the death of a parent, loneliness, and growing incapacity, present challenges, but the author uses her Zen training to face them with grace, put them into perspective, and see them as gifts to be accepted.--Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vt.

The Alchemy of Voice: Transform and Enrich Your Life through the Power of Your Voice
Stewart Pearce
$14.95 QP, 9781844091942, Findhorn Press, www.FindhornPress.com

The Alchemy of Voice is now available in this updated edition. The author is a voice coach and sound healer who has led workshops and private sessions for actors, business executives, statespersons, and celebrities. He stresses that the power of the voice lies at the core of personal power and resonates to our true essence. “When you speak with your true voice,” he says, “you will feel and live with true authenticity.”

A major difficulty for many people is that they hide their potential vocal richness behind a ‘voice mask’ which “is like a protective outer layer that conceals the innermost quality of selfhood with all its attendant feeling.”

In each chapter the author amplifies understanding of the power of the spoken word by explanation, examples, and practical exercises for finding one’s true voice and using it to clear disharmonies lodged throughout the body. He says we all possess cellular memory of “the original sound of our species,” and through specific vocal exercises we can recover and use these memories to empower ourselves.

The Alchemy of Voice would be especially useful for anyone involved in formal speaking and for all readers who would like to develop greater internal harmony while dealing with difficult people and situations in everyday life. --Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vt.

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life
Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung
$25.99 HC, 9780061697692, Harper One, www.HarperCollins.com

Although Savor is presented as a book on weight control, it is really about mindfulness and covers all aspects of life: the body, feelings, the mind and beliefs mind forms, and objects or reactions of the mind that tend to create imbalance. Thich Nhat Hanh is a well-known Buddhist leader and author and Lilian Cheung is a lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Savor covers a Buddhist perspective on weight control and includes advice on choosing food and drink, determining what it is you really desire and developing sense consciousness and mindfulness. It also offers practical action plans related to Mindful Eating, Mindful Moving, and Mindful Living. Stressed throughout is the importance of being present in the moment, and the authors give suggestions on ways to develop that ability. The focus expands to actions that help create conditions of collective well-being in a mindful world.

Throughout Savor the authors make clear that weight control, for all its importance, covers only one aspect of the book’s title: “Savor the time you still have in this life; Savor every moment, every breath, every meal, every relationship, every action or nonaction, every opportunity to maintain your well-being and the well-being of our world.” The book is recommended not only for those seeking practical advice on how to control excesses leading to overweight but also to anyone wishing to bring balance into his or her everyday life.--Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vermont

Iona Dreaming: The Healing Power of Place
Clare Cooper Marcus
$21.95 QP, 9780892541577, Nicolas Hays Inc., www.RedWheelWeiser.com

Clare Marcus, a retired university professor whose five previous books include House as a Mirror of Self and Healing Gardens, has written Iona Dreaming as a memoir of her six-month stay on Iona. During her stay she reflects upon aspects of her life that include her bout with cancer, her childhood in England, her experience as an evacuee during WWII, her parents, her marriage and motherhood, her career as a teacher of landscape architecture, and her love for Iona, which she recognizes as her spiritual home. She says, “I want to know my naked self before I die. Iona has given me the time and place to do just that,” and later observes, “I thought that the purpose of my journey was to come to terms with cancer; it turns out that it was also to come to terms with my whole life.”

Using precise detail, the author brings all aspects of the island and her own life into clear focus, so that the reader understands how embracing both contribute to her process of healing. Although Iona Dreaming evokes a vivid sense of place, she does not urge others to travel from afar to Iona, encouraging them instead “to experience deeply their own sacred place and to access the kind of deep peace that I have found on Iona.”--Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vermont

Big Yoga: A Simple Guide for Bigger Bodies
Meera Patricia Kerr
$17.95 P, 9780757002151, Square One Publishers,www.SquareOnePpublishers.com

Meera Patricia Kerr, who began her personal journey into yoga as a college student in the “groovy” ‘60s, shows readers how to start and enjoy a yoga practice regardless of their size. With a sense of humor, she illustrates through photo essays of asanas that it is possible for the larger student to become an accomplished yoga practitioner. In her easy-to-read style, Kerr lays out step-by-step how to begin a yoga practice with simple props (a chair is extremely useful for the plus-size student), wardrobe, environment, commitment, and more.

Her collection of poses is very realistic for her audience and includes a section of 10 different breathing exercises, touches on the importance of meditation, kirtan, and offers a full chapter on service and devotion, applying the philosophies of yoga to daily life in the world.

Kerr also offers companion DVDs: Big Yoga Flexibility, Big Yoga Beginners Hatha 1, and Omniscient Om, a collection of inspirational chants. Kerr’s educational products embody compassion and serve as a bridge to an audience that can benefit greatly from the powers of yoga. --Allyson Gracie, Gotham City Pilates, New York, NY

The Shadow Effect: Illuminating the Hidden Power of Your True Self
Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, Marianne Williamson
$25.99 H, 9780061962653, Harper Collins, www.HarperCollins.com

Beginning with the premise that people fear their shadow self, this stellar lineup sets out to bring the collective shadow into the light and teach readers how to manage it until it can be dissolved.

Deepak Chopra explains how the shadow—the dark side—has been brought forward and defined in modern times. He speaks of the need to resolve the separation between aspects of the self designated as either good or bad and offers us a map to wholeness that has been held out for thousands of years by wisdom teachers.

Debbie Ford reveals that she got to know her shadow during drug treatment and was led to the “wisdom I have shared in my last seven books...” She talks in depth about how the shadow is born in us, how we can befriend it, and the power of secrets.

Marianne Williamson wraps up the book in the lyrically spiritual style that is uniquely hers. Jung called the shadow a “sparring partner” that creates a fog of illusion surrounding the self. This book is an attempt to help readers navigate through the fog as they search for vision and resolution. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

The Buddha & the Borderline: My Recover from Borderline Personality Disorder through Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Buddhism, and Online Dating
Kiera Van Gelder
$17.95 QP, 9781572247109, New Harbinger Publications, www.NewHarbinger.com

This is a raw, sometimes brutal, account of the author’s struggle to survive borderline personality disorder (BPD). It is also a roadmap to recovery. The author was 30 and a veteran of 12-step programs, therapy, and psychiatric wards when, finally, she was accurately diagnosed and told about dialectical behavior therapy. It began a long journey in search of the right therapist and support system, but at least she had a specific set of goals and the possibility of gaining control over her emotions. Slowly she built a foundation from which she could function with some degree of consistency. Then, as the ancient wisdom says, when she was ready, the teacher arrived, and she began the transformation from borderline to Buddhist.

She tells her story with great intelligence and insight without pulling any punches. It’s a tough book to read because she so accurately recreates the swirl of emotions that engulfed her life for so many years. She leaves the reader, however, with a renewed faith in the resilience of human nature.

Those of you who have known borderlines understand how much you were drawn to try and help them and how difficult it is to “stay in the game” for very long. This is a book about a real survivor of borderline personality disorder and her road to recovery. It will have value, not just to those with BPD, but to their therapists, friends, and families.--Anna Jedrziewski, Spirit Connection New York, New York, N.Y.

What to Do When You Can’t Decide: Useful Tools for Finding the Answers Within
Meg Lundstrum
$14.95 QP, 9781591798163, Sounds True, www.SoundsTrue.com

Meg Lundstrum has zeroed in on one very specific aspect of the esoteric playbook: Yes/No divination. She has chosen three methods (muscle testing, pendling, and chits) and thoroughly explored them. Her premise is that using simple Yes/No divination rather than more elaborate oracle systems or fortune-telling not only clears the mind but opens the door for mental and spiritual growth.

To make her case, she takes an in-depth look at both divination (“Divining is not static or fixed or set in concrete; rather, it’s a dynamic, deeply personal process that ebbs, flows, and changes over time.”) and decision-making (“Studies show that feeling inner pressure to make the best possible decision leads to anxiety, regret, confusion, and lower self-esteem.”). There is science, right brain/left brain stuff, but you can skip over that part if you want and move on to Part II.

In the eight chapters of Part II, Lundstrom gets very serious (and sophisticated) about teaching the reader how to learn, master, and transcend the three techniques she has spent two decades perfecting. She has lots of examples, from herself and other people; photos and illustrations where necessary; well-defined step-by-step instructions to follow; and even a troubleshooting guide at the end of the book. The epilogue opens the door for moving beyond seeking answers in order to live spontaneously. Perhaps her next book?--Anna Jedrziewski, Spirit Connection New York, New York, N.Y.

Dissolving Pain: Simple Brain-Training Exercises for Overcoming Chronic Pain
Les Fehmi, Ph.D. and Jim Robbins
$16.95 QP, 9781590307809, Trumpeter, www.Shambala.com

Les Fehmi built his own biofeedback machine. They weren’t available commercially four decades ago when he began his research into brain waves. His goal back then was to teach himself to synchronize his brain waves. Thus began a journey that ended with a system (Open Focus) for managing pain using attentional flexibility—shifting attention rather than becoming rigidly focused within a narrow range of perception.

If we change the way we pay attention to pain, we can change the way we experience pain, even to the point of releasing that pain entirely. The case studies in the book prove the point. Dissolving Pain is rich with scientific information but it is presented in understandable terms. The series of exercises, some of which are included on the CD that comes with the book, are straightforward and easy to follow.

Customers who want to understand the process will have all their questions answered. Those who just want to make the pain go away can go directly to the exercises. Most of your customers already believe that the mind creates disease or wellness. This book puts theory into practice in a very powerful way.--Anna Jedrziewski, Spirit Connection New York, New York, N.Y.

Enough! A Buddhist Approach to Finding Release from Addictive Patterns
Chonyi Taylor
$16.95 QP, 9781559393447, Snow Lion Publishing, www.SnowLionPub.com

Chonyi Taylor is a Buddhist nun and a Western-trained psychologist. To her it is a logical combination: “Buddha was a top psychologist. He taught methods for dealing with immediate and urgent situations as well as methods that look into long-term change.”

To tackle the problem of addictive behavior, she combines meditation with the Buddhist tools of mindfulness, introspection, and equanimity. “Choice” is a word that appears often throughout the text. Her approach is to choose to change and then stay centered in the choice, not always an easy task. That’s where the mindfulness, introspection, and equanimity come in.

The book is not a quick-fix pep talk; it is a serious work plan for those who have decided to take action. Taylor gives explanations of addictive behavior, how it takes root, how it is triggered, and what purpose it serves. She has detailed meditations, examples of the plan in action, and teachings that combine both Buddhist and cognitive theory (“Our addiction is part of the solution”).

The appendixes at the back include both the 12 Steps and Buddha’s Eightfold Noble Path (as described in workshops on addiction). It also includes an explanation for professionals, which in particular compares her techniques to techniques traditionally used in cognitive behavior therapies. Of value to those professionals, the book will also be completely accessible to those in recovery or seeking recovery. The title and cover reflect its modern, Western communication style.--Anna Jedrziewski, Spirit Connection New York, New York, N.Y.

Psychomagic: The Transformative Power of Shamanic Psychotherapy
Alejandro Jodorowsky
$24.95 QP, 9781594773365,Inner Traditions, www.InnerTraditions.com

The man who gave the world El Topo and The Holy Mountain also created a therapeutic technique he calls pyschomagic. Growing out of his observation of folk healers in Mexico, Alejandro Jodorowsky took the power of belief that those healers rely on and began explaining the “magical” processes to his clients, transforming magician into adviser and empowering individuals to create their own healing “miracles.” The technique was perfected over many years and draws on every level of Jodorowsky’s creative genius.

Writers Gilles Farcet and Javie Esteban draw the secrets of his genius out in Parts I and II of the book. In Part III Jodorowsky offers us “An Accelerated Course in Creativity.” Simultaneously cutting-edge and down-to-earth, this one’s in a category all its own.--Anna Jedrziewski, Spirit Connection New York, New York, N.Y.

The Ten Things To Do When Your Life Falls Apart
Daphne Rose Kingma
$14.95 QP, 9781577316985, New World Library, www.NewWorldLibrary.com

The Ten Things is Daphne Kingma’s eighth book, and there’s a reason why Oprah and Marianne Williamson recommend her so highly. Kingma has a rare talent for translating spiritual wisdom into down-to-earth tools and techniques to create change in one’s everyday life. In The Ten Things she gently moves readers beyond survival to a place where they can learn new and better ways to act and react. “The presence of pain is the promise of change,” she says.

Readers can start at the beginning of the book or choose individual chapters that resonate strongly in the moment. For instance, Chapter 8 is “Live Simply,” with exercises to clear clutter and create calm so one can breathe, plan, and act. Chapter 1 gives permission to “Cry Your Heart Out.” Chapter 6 reminds readers to persist: Throw back the comforter, get your feet on the ground, and put one foot in front of the other.

The Ten Things will appeal to a variety of customers. It’s definitely for someone in crisis, but it’s equally valuable for a friend or family member who’s trying to support someone else in crisis– Phyllis Brown, Capital Consulting Group, www.CashForInvoices.com

Letting the Light In: Transforming Your Pain Into Power

The Myth of Stress: Where Stress Really Comes From and How to Live a Happier and Healthier Life
Andrew Bernstein
$26 QP, 9781439159453, Free Press, www.MythOfStress.com
Andrew Bernstein is the founder of ActivInsight, a seven-step technique he developed for eliminating stress. Presented to schools, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 corporate clients such as Twentieth Century Fox and Coca-Cola, his method is based on the premise that stress is not due to our external circumstances but stems from our thoughts about our external circumstances.

With his screenwriting sense of humor and love of marketing and strategy, Bernstein has produced a crisp overview of what we believe to be stress and has developed a workbook-style outline of thoughts and feelings about stress for the busy, “stressed-out” personality. The book stays focused on developing awareness and uses stories that cover very human subjects: traffic, weight/self-image, heartbreak, happiness, control/success—topics everyone can relate to.

This book is a must-have for customers who are ready to be done with stress and don’t have access to an ActivInsight workshop.--Allyson Gracie, GothamCity Pilates, New York, N.Y.

Follow the Shaman’s Call: An Ancient Path for Modern Lives
Mike Williams, Ph.D.
$16.95 QP, 9780738719849, Llewellyn, www.Llewellyn.com

This book is a contemporary perspective on modern day shamanism and offers exercises that anyone can use to develop innate shamanic skills. Dr. Williams is a shamanic practitioner and teacher trained in soul retrieval, spirit extraction, divination, and assisting the dead and dying. He makes clear that the ability to practice shamanism is wired into the brains of everyone: “Our modern world desperately needs shamans; it is how we were meant to live …”

The 14 chapters introduce the reader to the shamanic perspective, show how to take the first steps, and then cover skills of progressive complexity, including how to discover power animals, understand the three worlds of the shamanic tradition, gather power and capture essences, honor ancestors, work with dreams, deal with spirits, heal traumas, and harmonize with home, nature, seasons, and community.

The book is particularly recommended for readers new to shamanism or familiar only with its historical background, but who would like to bring shamanic techniques into their lives. – Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vt.

Full Body Presence: Learning to Listen to Your Body’s Wisdom
Suzanne Scurlock-Durana
$16.95 QP, 9781577318606, New World Library, www.NewWorldLibrary.com

Suzanne Scurlock-Durana has written a detailed instruction manual for consciously reconnecting with the "body" part of body-mind-spirit. “...We grow up being told not to feel or live in certain parts of ourselves, and then we wonder why we have difficulties when events in life require the wisdom of our blind spots.”

Full Body Presence speaks especially to healthcare practitioners, bodyworkers, and caregivers. In clear and down-to-earth language, Skurlock-Durana presents techniques for inner exploration that are non-threatening and easy to execute. In a tone that is consistently supportive, she includes plenty of anecdotes to demonstrate the practices she’s teaching.

This book will be a good tool for professionals who are not already involved in some form of energy healing work, and also for customers practicing (or receiving) those healing modalities. -- Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Holy Ghosts: Or How a (Not So) Good Catholic Boy Became a Believer in Things That Go Bump in the Night
Gary Jansen
$25.95 HC, 9781585428199, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, www.PenguinGroup.com

Born to working class parents, both the Catholic Church and Scooby Doo conspired to convince Gary Jansen there was no such thing as ghosts. The old Colonial house he grew up in told him a very different story, however. His mother knew the house was haunted, but only after Jansen and his wife moved back into the home years later did Jansen experience the presences himself. Eventually, he turned to Mary Ann Winkowski, the inspiration for The Ghost Whisperer, for help. Winkowski identified the misplaced spirits and taught Jansen how to help them on their way to the other side. In the process, Jansen reevaluated his concept of reality, his relationship to the Catholic Church, and his personal connection to all things spiritual.

The book he’s written about his journey through the other realms is a bit Norman Rockwell meets Agatha Christie during the Love, Sex, and Rock ‘n Roll years. He has given the reader profound spiritual concepts to think about in the context of a really good mystery story. I’ve communicated with discarnate spirits for decades, and most ghost stories don’t interest me, but I couldn’t read this one fast enough. —Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

Where Do Demons Live?: Everything You Want to Know about Magic
Frater U.: D.:
$15.95 QP, 9780738714790, Llewellyn Publications, www.Llewellyn.com

What a fun book! Frater U.: D.: has created a “Dear Abby” from the other side. Tongue-in-cheek, witty, and loaded with real information and advice, this will make a great spontaneous purchase for your customers. “Aunt Klara” expounds on astral travel, burning incense, magical orders, sex magic, the Golden Dawn, and Harry Potter. Consider the following tidbits:

Q: How does a death spell work?
A: That is something you do not ask about in public! What will the neighbors think of us?

Q: Is it a good idea to attend magic workshops?
A: ...do not attend too many workshops and seminars. Notorious ‘workshop hoppers’ often have trouble internalizing the material, and the knowledge has no chance to really sink in ...

Q: Where do demons live?
A: ...Only view demons as real, existing beings when you are performing evocations ... you will be training yourself to think flexibly, thus enabling a fast shift from one paradigm to another ...”

Where Do Demons Live is a great gift for people you actually enjoy spending time with. Be sure to let your favorite customers know about it. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Unfinished Business: What the Dead Can Teach Us about Life
James Van Praagh
$14.99 QP, 9780061778155, HarperOne, www.HarperCollins.com

With this book, now in paperback, renowned psychic and co-executive producer of Ghost WhispererJames Van Praagh is once again speaking for those on the other side. Specifically, he is communicating wisdom that those in the other realms feel is important for those of us still incarnate to hear.

The book is spellbinding. Readers are drawn along from one spirit encounter to another, compelled to see what happens next. The point of it all is spiritual guidance, teachings from the other side. The spirit friends speak to readers about Guilt, Love vs. Fear, Karma, Taking the High Road, and Transcendence. The instruction is solid and clearly expressed. Van Praagh speaks with authority, yet maintains the humility of one whose insight comes from a source outside himself.

Unfinished Business will sell well, and retailers can feel good about recommending this one. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org,, New York, N.Y.

The New Circlemakers: Insights into the Crop Circle Mystery
Andrew Collins
$18.95 QP, 9780876045497, www.4thDimensionPress.com

The New Circlemakers is an in-depth overview of the crop circle mystery and a wide range of associated phenomena. Newly updated from the original 1992 version, the book is divided into four parts. Part One covers the author’s investigations into crop circles and anomalies associated with them. Part Two relates Wilhelm Reich’s orgone studies to crop circle phenomena. Part Three brings together evidence relating crop circles to UFO activity and the upset caused by the disclosure of crop circle hoaxes, with subsequent proof that most crop circles could not be formed artificially. Part Four updates the author’s research and develops his hypothesis that a form of plasma life operates through a fifth dimension that interacts with whatever level of consciousness we possess.

The book includes a 12-page insert of crop circle photos, an extensive bibliography, and a very good 17-page index. It is thought-provoking reading for customers interested in, or even merely curious about, crop circles, UFOs, alien visitations and abductions, and potential earth changes. – Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vt.

Everyday Clairvoyant: Extraordinary Answers to Finding Love, Destiny and Balance inYour Life
Cyndi Dale
$16.95 QP, 9780738719238, Llewellyn, www.Llewellyn.com

In this honest and detailed book, Cyndi Dale answers many common questions about the psychic world: How does “psychic” work? What should I expect from a reading? What about ghosts, deceased relatives, past lives, and animal spirits? Dale shares accounts of her travels to visit spiritual places, her meetings with healers, and her investigations into shamanism, chakras/auras, spiritual traditions, and the science behind it all. She takes the “magic” out of living as a spiritual/psychic being.

Leafing through Everyday Clairvoyant instantly arouses curiosity, first about the author’s work as a clairvoyant, and then about how it all relates to one’s own life and work. This is a good book for customers who want to understand the relationship between their physical experience and the spiritual world. -- Miho Hasegawa, Intuitive Healing Practitioner, New York, N.Y.

Careers for Your Cat
Ann Dziemianowicz, illustrated by Ann Boyajian
$9.99 P, 9781580081245, Ten Speed Press, www.TenSpeed.com

If your spirits tanked soon after the economy tanked, this tongue-in-cheek book might help. Working on the premise that dogs have held jobs and contributed to human society for centuries—think Lassie—Dziemianowicz has come up with a guide for turning cats into productive workers who also will contribute to the family finances. The author has devised lengthy and detailed questionnaires to determine each cat’s basic personality, then provides lists of which jobs best suit the individual cat.

Cats that score as labor-intensive introverts are said to have excellent dexterity and are "paws-on." As firm, fast kneaders, they would excel as pastry chefs. Landscape architect is another career path for this category, for they are able to restore harmony and balance in outdoor surroundings and rely on instinctive, often mystic sensibilities. Meanwhile, intellectual introverts, who often spend hours in silent reflection, could find fulfilling work as a librarian. These cats are often found working on desks and bookshelves and they like to curl up with a good book.

Perhaps my favorite section is the "Tips for acing the interview." Both cats and owners should take these “tips” to heart. One example: "Do not ingest catnip within three days of your interview–some firms require on-the-spot drug testing."

Ann Boyajian’s illustrations bring the tests, careers, and tips to life, with drawings that match the author’s wit. —Catherine Ferguson, columnist Waterfront Journal, www.nj.com/columns/waterfrontjournal/ferguson, psychic for pets and people.

The Mindful Child: How to Help Your Kid Manage Stress and Become Happier, Kinder, and More Compassionate
Susan Kaiser Greenland
$15 QP, 9781416583004, Free Press, www.SimonAndSchuster.com

Susan Greenland left a law practice to found InnerKids, a program affiliated with the Mindful Awareness Research Center at ACLU. She began meditating and doing mindfulness breathing in the early 1990s after her husband was diagnosed with stage-four lymphoma. As she became a seasoned mindfulness practitioner, she wondered if she could adapt the practice so that her children could benefit from the techniques. By 2000 she was teaching classes in mindfulness for children.

The exercises and activities she shares with us are designed to teach children self-calming techniques and help them develop stable attention skills. The magic ingredient she has added is fun. The results are literally life changing.

As traditional Buddhist practice merges with psychology and neuroscience, mindfulness techniques are becoming more mainstream, and more mindfulness products are being created. Be sure to let your customers know that this one was created by a mother for her own children. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Cat Angels: The Secret Lives of Cats
Illustrated by Amy White; edited by Abby Bardi
$24.99 HC, 9780982586495, Fairewood Studios/Atlas Books, www.CatAngels.com

Amy White got the idea for this book when she observed one of her cats and saw angel wings attached to her body. White took photos and "enhanced" them by adding the wings she had seen in her mind’s eye. White says the touched-up photos then revealed the cat’s inner truth. Some people might dispute the notion of cats as angels, but White speaks of the cat’s "inner angel." If we humans can have an inner child, couldn’t a cat also harbor an inner angel?

This book of photos, short explanatory texts, and quotations emphasizes what we can learn from cats. In my conversations with pets, many have shared their daydreams of fantasy lives and their astral visits to other universes. White’s images make these journeys come alive.

One of my favorite quotations in this book is from Elbert Hubbard: "The supernatural is the natural not yet understood.” This is a fun spiritual book, gorgeous to look at, and would make an excellent gift. --Catherine Ferguson, Ph.D., www.CFergusonConsult.com

Cool, Calm, and Confident: A Workbook to Help Kids Learn Assertiveness Skills
Lisa M. Schab
$16.95 QP, 9781572246300, Instant Help Books, www.NewHarbinger.com

How would you explain the difference between aggressive and assertive to a child? This author, a licensed clinical social worker, tackles that challenge successfully in a workbook designed to help children handle teasing, build confidence and self-esteem, and manage anger. She does it by coupling short discussions about behavior with writing and drawing exercises. The workbook is divided into 40 child-friendly sections with titles such as Your Thoughts Affect Your Actions, You Are Special, Turn It Around, Doing Things for Yourself, and Separating People from Problems.

Cool, Calm, and Confident will be a good tool for parents who want creative ways to engage their children in discussion. It will be equally useful to parents of bullies or of children who are being bullied. Consider displaying in the children’s book section, so that children can discover it and make their parents aware of it.--Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Every Dog Has a Gift: True Stories of Dogs Who Bring Hope & Healing Into Our Lives
Rachel McPherson with Deborah Mitchell
$23.95 HC, 9781585427956, Tarcher/Penguin, www.Penguin.com

Rachel McPherson is the founder and director of The Good Dog Foundation which makes her well placed for gathering stories about the role of dogs in human lives. Each story in her book highlights a different aspect of the dog-human bond. In the section "Dogs as Healers and Teachers," owners relate how a dog acted as a healer or a teacher for them or their children. One powerful story describes how an autistic boy’s behavior changed dramatically for the better once the family acquired a service dog.

In the section "Dogs that Change Lives," a homeless man meets a homeless dog and the two become family. Another story describes teenagers at risk who are placed in programs to care for and train puppies and the dignity and pride they develop in a job well done.

McPherson provides extensive lists of resources for those who would like to participate in pet therapy, shelter work, or simply need helpful information on choosing and raising pets.--Catherine Ferguson, www.CFergusonConsult.com

Emerson and the Dream of America: Finding Our Way to a New and Exceptional Age
Richard G. Geldard
$16.95 P, 9781936012466, Larson Publications, www.LarsonPublications.com

Charles Ives referred to Emerson as “an invader of the unknown.” John Muir, after meeting Emerson for the first time, was so in awe of Emerson that, at first, he “did not dare to go to him or speak to him.” Emerson’s influence has continued through the generations, and that influence is what Richard Geldard analyzes in Emerson and the Dream of America.

Emerson believed in spiritual/metaphysical activism and the personal expression of intention rather than organized movements in response to immediate crises. In his own words: “Life must be lived on a higher plane. We must go up to a higher platform, to which we are always invited to ascend; there, the whole aspect of things changes.”

His ideas may be more relevant today than in his own time. Geldard explores those ideas, providing us insight into the writings of a man he calls one of the most important founding thinkers in America’s history. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Thriving in the Crosscurrent: Clarity and Hope in a Time of Cultural Sea Change
James Kenney
$16.95 QP, 9780835608763, Quest Books, www.QuestBooks.net

We’ve all gotten used to hearing conversations about how bad things are. Many of us also try to remember that everything, no matter how bad it seems, moves humanity higher up the ladder of life. That’s exactly what this book is about.

Kenney examines the four foundational pillars he believes the “cultural sea change” rests upon: interdependence, paradigm shift, cultural evolution, and the emerging global consensus of values. He draws on his years of Buddhist study, on the writings of Christian mystics, on scientific research and theory, on history, and most importantly on personal observation. The result is a thorough analysis of the times we live in.

He takes us back to three prior times of sea change (the rise of farming, the shift from tribal consciousness to individual consciousness, and the realization that our universe was not geocentric but heliocentric) for perspective on our situation. He credibly demonstrates that the disturbing phenomena we see around us do not represent a global decline but rather resistance to a new growth stage.

Consider displaying Thriving in the Crosscurrents with books by Teillard de Chardin, whom Kenney credits with recognizing the shift in thinking that ushered in the New Age movement. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

Iron Butterflies: Women Transforming Themselves and the World
Birute Regine
$19 QP, 9781616141691, Prometheus Books, www.PrometheusBooks.com

More and more people are beginning to make the case that the time is right for world leadership based on right-brain, feminine-oriented skills. This book explores that idea in depth, going straight to the source: successful women. The author did in-depth interviews with 60 women.

Regine wanted women who had sacrificed neither their womanhood for achievement nor their masculine capabilities to nurturing. She searched out women who could hold paradoxes and thrive on the creative energy generated by doing so. What surprised the author most about her research was that the most prominent quality of these women was vulnerability. (Regine defines vulnerability as a profound experience of openness.)

While the book is a terrific overview of the history, the future, and the current status of the women’s movement, consider displaying it with goddess books to give customers a sense of its transcendent, rather than defensive, tone. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

The 8 Calendars of the Maya: The Pleiadean Cycle and the Key to Destiny
Hunbatz Men
$14 QP, 9781591431053, Bear & Company, www.BearandCompanyBooks.com

Hunbatz Men, Mayan daykeeper and calendar authority, explains the involved and interconnected calendars of the Maya in this small, 120-page book. Though thin, this book is packed with information about the history, forms, language, and meaning of the various Mayan calendars. There are five calendars based on Pleiadean cycles, one based on lunar cycles, one on Earth/Solar cycles, and the Tzolk’in, which is the master calendar connecting them all.

Many amazing tidbits of Mayan history and spirituality are shared by Hunbatz, who expresses his well-informed, unique, and refreshing view on Mayan history while unfolding the calendars. There were four suns of 26,000 years each that saw devastating Earth changes during the closing of one and the opening of another. We are in the fifth sun now.

This book is meant for the serious student of calendars or the Mayans. It is slow going, requiring strict attention to the details and math to fully grasp the content. However, the book does include many helpful illustrations and charts. The 8 Calendars of the Maya is a precious gem for the Mayan enthusiasts in your clientele. --David Paulsen, Ekaha Enchantments, Keaau, Hawaii

Beyond Vengeance, Beyond Duality: A Call for a Compassionate Revolution
Sylvia Clute
$16.95 QP, 9781571746337, Hampton Roads, www.HamptonRoadsPub.com

This author holds degrees in both Law and Public Administration and calls for a compassionate revolution in our justice system. She has written a book about why that needs to happen and how it can be accomplished. She credits A Course in Miracles with triggering the shift in perspective that led to this book. (“Every human activity is founded on the organizing principle of Oneness or the disorganizing process of duality.”) That shift led to her current position as president of the Restorative Justice Association of Virginia.

Clute believes the 60 billion dollars it costs Americans to maintain our prison system doesn’t contribute to a better, less violent society. She maintains reform requires rebuilding the justice system based on a model of resolution, not separation. (“Our adversarial legal system often stands in the way of discovering the whole truth, and it was never designed to reconcile the parties.”) She describes prison programs based on a community model that appear to be working, and she makes the case that the time is right for the systemic change she suggests.

Clute has done an excellent job of applying spiritual philosophy to a tough real-world problem. The book thoroughly explains the theory behind her ideas and details how the ideas are successfully being put into practice. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.

100 Words: Two Hundred Visionaries Share Their Hope for the Future
William Murtha
$16.95 QP, 9781573244732, Conari Press, www.RedWheelWeiser.com

Several years ago, William Murtha, founder of The Global Visionaries Project, became aware of positive initiatives meant to bring more balance and connection into the world. He sent out invitations to more than 500 "change-makers" around the world to share empowering stories and thoughts in 100 words. This book documents what 200 of these "extraordinary inspirers" had to say. According to Murtha, many visionaries are not being covered by the core media. This book is meant to bring to light some of those who are flying "under the radar."

The format is unique. The statements are short but pithy and printed on the right-hand page. The page to the left gives a thumb-nail sketch of the visionary quoted and a few of the books that inspired him or her.

These pioneers of global transformation offer means of correcting political disease, social injustice, and environmental destruction. Murtha’s goal is to encourage the reader to "become a leading light in the world." He by no means expects the 200 visionaries to be an exclusive club. --Catherine Ferguson, Ph.D., www.CFergusonConsult.com

Autobiography of a Sadhu: A Journey into Mystic India
Rampuri
$18.95 P, 9781594773303, Destiny Books, www.DestinyBooks.com

Baba Rampuri, a midwestern youth and son of a surgeon, found himself, like so many did, questioning the sanity of his world in the U.S. in the 60s and 70s. In search of himself and armed with ecstatic enthusiasm, he headed to India. Rampuri recounts this trip, where he struck up a friendship with Naga Baba (Naked Yogi--one who abandons all clothing), learned to speak Hindi, grew dreadlocks, and absorbed the magic of teachers such as Swami Hari Puri Baba in Rajasthan, eventually becoming Rampuri himself.

Rampuri’s account of his spiritual journey is an intentionally entertaining story with personal accounts of many fascinating characters that changed him completely. He also gives the reader valuable glimpses into authentic life in India. --Allyson Gracie, Gotham City Pilates, New York, NY

Salvia Divinorum: Doorway to Thought-Free Awareness
J. D. Arthur
$14.95 QP, 9781594773471, Park Street Press, www.InnerTraditions.com

This is another of Inner Traditions’ serious studies of the use of shamanic psychogenic drugs. It begins with an overview of the use of hallucinogenic drugs in the United States. The author is careful to affirm that he is not promoting the use of such drugs, only recording his personal experiences over several years. He also makes clear that he did extensive research into the chemical makeup of salvia before using it, and that the drug was legal in the United States when he did his experimentation with it.

Two things about salvia impressed J. D. Arthur as being substantially different from his experiences with other drugs: the absence of thoughts/language and the strong sense of “presences.” His descriptions of his encounters while on salvia resemble classical descriptions of the astral and mental planes. (C. W. Leadbeater wrote extensively on the phenomena of those planes.) It is also interesting that “the others” encouraged Arthur not to do his experimentation alone but to work in a group. (Alice Bailey emphasizes the importance of working in groups in her writing.) Arthur ignored the advice and seems to have survived unscathed despite some scary sessions.

Be aware that some customers might be put off by the apparently nonchalant use of a hallucinogenic drug. Others, will find Arthur’s salvia-induced encounters with “the others” spellbinding. Since he makes these journeys alone, the book may also be of interest to customers engaged in a solitary pagan practice, such as Wicca. – Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org , New York, NY

The Blues Go Birding Across America
By Carol L. Malnor and Sandy F. Fuller, illustrated by Louise Schroeder
$8.95 P, 9781584691259, Dawn Publications, www.DawnPub.com

This is the first in what promises to be a delightful series of books designed to teach children about nature and the earth around them. The story follows a group of five birds, blue in color, as they journey across America looking for a new song to perform at the White House.

Each place The Blues travel, they discover a new bird. They learn, along with the reader, what each bird eats and how it lives in its habitat. The Blues are seeking new music, but they find all birds are different and some do not have songs. The characters and the illustrations are darling, but perhaps the best part of The Blues Go Birding Across America is the brilliant dialogue, rhymes, and word play. Song lyrics and hidden meanings are sprinkled throughout, making this a fun read for both children and adults.

The Blues Go Birding Across America is highly recommended for children interested in learning about America and nature. Its unique format of main story, informational blocks, and journal entries from The Blues, make it visually appealing, and The Blues leave the reader with promises of more adventures to come. —P. J. Hoover, www.PJhoover.com, Austin, Texas

Mother Monarch
Mindy Lighthipe
$19.99 HC, 9780764334009, Schiffer Publishing, www.SchifferBooks.com

Mother Monarch is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book detailing the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly. Right from the beginning the reader is introduced to mystery as the mother Monarch sets off on a journey searching for something. As the book proceeds, the reader finds the mother seeking the perfect place to lay her eggs.

In a magical way, the reader in introduced to the eating habits, biology, and lifecycle of the Monarch butterfly. The story takes an interesting twist as the mother passes on and her baby becomes the main focus, moving from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis and then on to becoming a full grown Monarch en route to Mexico for migration.

Sensory details fill the pages, along with nicely varied sentence structure. Mother Monarch makes an excellent read-aloud picture book for both the classroom and home. Highly recommended for those interested in nature and the lifecycles of animals. —P. J. Hoover, www.PJhoover.com, Austin, TX

Stranger in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy
Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick
$19.95 HC, 9780967174808, Nature’s Best, www.StrangerInTheWoods.com

The Tenth Anniversary Edition of this photographic treasure has been updated with a state-of-the-art 3-D cover. The original, intensely expressive photographs remain the same. Even the snowman seems to speak from the page. The lyrical real-life fantasy world is dusted with snow. The story line follows the photos. The birds and deer and children tell their own tale. The beautiful artwork has generated an extensive line of merchandise: holiday cards, movies, puzzles—all good items to stock for early holiday buying. —Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, NY

The Weiser Field Guide to Ascension: The Meaning of Miracles and Shifts in Consciousness Past and Present
Cal Garrison
$14.95 P, 9781578634699, Weiser Books, www.RedWheelWeiser.com

Cal Garrison discusses the concept and process of ascension and how it relates to current times. He situates the concept in history and esoteric thought and illustrates its cross-cultural relevance. Ascension, with its shift in consciousness, is very much a matter of the heart, according to Garrison. Garrison urges the reader to pay attention because the time is upon us now, and those with the ability to ascend and shift their consciousness will move on to the next level.

This call of warning closely follows the warnings of the Elder Brothers in the BBC documentary “From the Heart of the World,” where the Kogi urged the world’s inhabitants to change their ways or the ecological environment would break apart, and the world would die. As a student of Drunvaldo Melchizedek, Garrison assigns special attention to Mer-Ka-Ba, its history, significance, and importance as a meditation tool. People practicing Mer-Ka-Ba are thought to have changed the course of doomsday predictions set forth by the Kogi.

The book is divided into 11 chapters and is an easy read. People not familiar with ascension, Mer-Ka-Ba, the Kogi, and Drunvaldo Melchizedek will find it enlightening and informative. Examples and website listings for further information broaden the book beyond its pages. —Victoria Holmberg, www.VictoriaHolmberg.com, New York, NY

Tribe: Tending the Fires of the Great Spirit Within
Marcus F. Griffin
$22.95 QP, 9781846943324, O Books, www.O-Books.com

Tribe is really two overlapping books. For both, the word ‘tribe’ in the text “refers to any group of people who come together for any reason, anywhere, at any time” and also “the whole of humanity as a single collective: The very spirit of tribalism itself.”

The first book is a manual for journeying to the dream world within “the land of the Great Tribe.” The procedure is to travel to the spirit lands and lay claim to a base camp, then enter the lower world and make contact with power animals. With the aid of wolf spirit one enters the land of the Great Tribe and journeys back through the ages to the beginnings of human spirituality and the motherland of the ancestors.

The second book is a tale of a young aboriginal female being initiated as a shaman. It follows her experiences using procedures similar to those in the manual. On her journey, she meets and is guided by significant people; travels through stages of flight, sacrifice, darkness, and interaction with three sacred ancestors; and finally awakens to her dream both in reality and in a world at once within and outside of time and space.

This book will appeal especially to those new to the process of shamanic journeying. By the conclusion the reader will understand that “We are not alone. We are collectively a spiritual being with a radiant spirit … We are tribe.” -- Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vt.

Partnering with Nature: The Wild Path to Reconnecting with the Earth
Catriona MacGregor
$16.00 QP, 9781582702193, Beyond Words/Atria, www.BeyondWord.com

Partnering with nature is really a process of reconnecting with the deepest aspects of ourselves, and this book shows readers ways to reawaken this connection. Catriona MacGregor is a leader of conservation initiatives and environmental education programs in the United States and abroad. Her view is that we all have a role on Earth “to love, appreciate, and serve the great diversity of life as if it were our own life–because it is.” She stresses that the way people think and act is critical because their energy and intention become woven into the fabric of the land.

Part 1 reminds us that nature is the realm of the sacred and “a part of all religious experiences and traditions and yet belongs to none …” Part 2 takes a close look at the wisdom of the wild, exploring ways to read the signs of nature, understand and relate to the power of animals, and recognize sacred places. Part 3 covers aspects of inner wholeness, including taking part in nature quests, establishing rites of passage, healing through the presence of nature and honoring its creative forces. Part 4 examines how personal changes within can lead to outer changes in the world.

Partnering with Nature develops the “wild path” of rediscovery by using personal stories, scientific findings, ancient lore, and spiritual insights. It includes many Chapter Practices to assist readers in their process of reconnection. The book is highly recommended for those interested in rediscovering their role in relation to nature and other living things both great and small.--Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vermont

Alchemy of Nine Dimensions: The 2011/2012 Prophecies and Nine Dimensions of Consciousness
Barbara Hand Clow with Gerry Clow
$19.95 QP, 9781571746269, Hampton Roads Publishing, www.HamptonRoadsPub.com

Originally published in 2004, Alchemy of Nine Dimensions has been revised and expanded to correspond to humanity’s change in consciousness. In Alchemy, Hand Clow and husband Gerry Clow explain each of the nine dimensions as communicated by Pleiadian entities. Hand Clow dedicates one chapter to each dimension. The chapters begin with a meditation and are filled with detailed illustratrations to clarify the often complex concepts, including sacred geometry, photon waves, black holes, and the scientific lessons contained in crop circles.

The volume also includes activations to reach the higher dimensions, as well as explanations of how crop circles are made and how they can assist our evolution, the usefulness of labyrinth walks and yoga, and the role of Chiron in conjunction with the coming Shift.

Best of all, Hand Clow gives hope: “As the Pleiadians suggested years ago, we are about to reenter the universe and to cease being isolated on Earth ... we are going to stop killing each other.” – Jayne Denker, www.Dragon-Droppings.com, Caledonia, N.Y.

The Book of Obeah
Sandra Carrington-Smith
$22.95 QP, 9781846942990, O-Books, www.O-Books.net

After the death of her beloved grandmother, protagonist Melody Bennett does her best to fulfill her grandmother’s final wishes: that she travel to the Louisiana bayou country to scatter her ashes, after she first has them blessed by a woman named Marie Devereaux. Melody is soon plunged into the mysterious world of voodoo, which she finds out played a large role in her grandmother’s life.

Melody learns, too, that her life is in peril. Her grandmother had hidden the powerful Book of Obeah for more than half a century, and dangerous people want it. Luckily she meets steadfast friends (and a lover) along the way, all of whom are voodoo practitioners.

Intertwined with the mystery, the love story, and the revelations of dark family secrets is basic information about this ancient religion; along with Melody the reader learns true voodoo has nothing to do with sticking pins in dolls, but instead is a belief system in which practitioners seek oneness with the powerful personas of the God and Goddess known as Orishas.

The Book of Obeah succeeds, then, not only as an exciting mystery novel, but also as an introduction to the practice of voodoo—and as a powerful antidote to the incorrect, sensational portrayals of the religion in Hollywood movies. —Jayne Denker, www.Dragon-Droppings.com, Caledonia, NY

Prophecy of Days, Book I: The Daykeeper’s Grimoire
Christy Raedeke
$9.95 QP, 9780738715766, Flux/Llewellyn, www.FluxNow.com

Prophecy of Days: The Daykeeper’s Grimoire is the first in a planned series dealing with the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012. What really sets The Daykeeper’s Grimoire apart is the overall concept that one girl can change the world. The story centers around Caity Mac Fireland, who shortly after moving with her parents to a castle in Scotland discovers a hidden chamber off her bedroom that is hundreds of years old and contains a prophecy that changes her world.

With each new page, the reader can’t be sure who is helping Caity and who is against her. Combine Raedeke’s great writing and storytelling with a tiny monkey who creates origami, and you have one fantastic novel.

The Daykeeper’s Grimoire is highly recommended for kids and teens ages 10 and up interested in mystery, adventure, and fantasy, but it also will appeal to adults interested in the mysteries surrounding the end of the Mayan calendar and in the power of global consciousness. --P. J. Hoover, www.PJHoover.com, Austin, Texas

The Forty Rules of Love
Elif Shafak
$25.95 HC, 9780670021451, Viking, www.Penguin.com

Elif Shafak, an award-winning writer from Turkey, has created a multi-textured novel with a tapestry that weaves together the companionship of Jalal ad-Din Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, the complexities of 13th century Konya, the experiences of a Massachusetts housewife, and the nature of the spiritual path of love.

Ella Rubinstein, whose whole life revolves around her sometimes-wayward husband, her three children, her picture-perfect house, and her cooking club, feels unfulfilled as she approaches 40. She applies to be an editorial reader for a literary agent and, as her first assignment, is given Sweet Blasphemy, a novel about Rumi, Shams, and the Konya of their time. As she reads, she increasingly sees her own life mirrored, and when she contacts the author, a Sufi who wanders the world as a photographer, she sees him as a reflection of Shams. Her own story then unfolds in ways that reflect the manuscript she is reading.

The title refers to “Forty Rules of the Religion of Love,” a process developed by Shams as an approach to spiritual maturity. During the course of the book each of those rules is expressed and explained at the appropriate time, along with the hardships it entails. This book removes the sugar coating from spirituality and will appeal to seekers of all sorts, as well as to those already attracted to the poetry of Rumi, the teachings of Shams, or to the Sufi path in general.-- Richard D. Wright, Tranquil Things, Derby Line, Vermont